Espanyol will be looking for their first win in 2026 when they host second-placed Real Madrid at the RCDE Stadium on Sunday.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s Real Madrid will look to return to winning ways when they hit the road to square up against Espanyol, who are winless in their last 16 league outings.

The home team have had quite a fall in 2026. They were in contention for a top-four spot towards the end of last year. However, they have not won a single game in 2026, and following a 16-game winless run, they are now 13th on the table with 39 points in their 33 outings.

While the Catalan outfit are still five points off the drop zone, they cannot afford to relax with five games to go. If they remain winless until the end of the campaign, Espanyol will certainly get dragged into the relegation battle. After back-to-back defeats at the hands of Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano, they are heading into this fixture on the back of a 0-0 draw against Levante.

Even Real Madrid haven’t had the best of 2026; they have dropped points consistently and are set to go trophyless. Having won just two out of their last five league outings, Los Blancos are now 11 points behind (74 points in 33 games) league leaders Barcelona.

Arbeloa’s team might not have anything to play for, but they do need to finish the season on a high note, and expect them to go all out to secure all three points. After returning to winning ways against Alaves, they could only manage a 1-1 draw against Real Betis last time out.

Despite their recent struggles, the Madrid-based giants are still favourites heading into this fixture. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.

Team News & Tactics

Espanyol

The home team will be without the services of Javi Puado (knee injury) and Pol Lozano (suspension). Apart from the duo, everyone else is expected to be available for selection.

Espanyol will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Marko Dmitrovic will take charge between the sticks. Omar El Hilali and Carlos Romero will be the full-backs, while Fernando Calero will start alongside Leandro Cabrera in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Urko Gonzalez and Edu Exposito will form the double pivot in the centre of the park. They will shield the backline and look to ensure Madrid midfielders do not run the show.

Ramon Terrats will take up the number ten role, while Pere Milla and Cyril Ngonge will feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Finally, veteran striker Kike Garcia will spearhead the Aston Villa attack against RCD Espanyol.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Dmitrovic; El Hilali, Calero, Cabrera, Romero; Gonzalez, Exposito; Ngonge, Terrats, Milla; Garcia

Real Madrid

The visitors will be without the services of Thibaut Courtois (thigh), Rodrygo (knee), Eder Militao (hamstring), Kylian Mbappe (hamstring), Arda Guler (thigh), and Dani Carvajal (leg).

Despite the unavailability of a number of key players, Alvaro Arbeloa still has enough quality in his squad. Madrid could line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Andriy Lunin will continue in goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ferland Mendy should be the full-backs, while Antonio Rudiger will pair up with Dean Huijsen in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Thiago Pitarch could get another start here alongside Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde in the middle of the putvb. The trio will look to dictate the pace of the game.

In the final third, Brahim Diaz will take up the right flank, while Vinicius Junior will feature on the left wing. Finally, Gonzalo Garcia should lead the line for Real Madrid against RCD Espanyol in the absence of Mbappe.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, Mendy; Bellingham, Valverde, Pitarch; Diaz, Garcia, Vinicius Junior

Key Stats

• Espanyol haven’t won a single game in 2026 (a winless run of 16 league games).
• Real Madrid have only won one out of their last six games in all competitions.
• Dmitrovic is the third-best goalkeeper in LaLiga in terms of saves per match at 3.5.
• While Los Blancos have only won two out of their last five league games, they have bagged eight goals in those outings.
• The home team have only scored two goals in their last five games, which is a massive concern.

Player to Watch

Gonzalo Garcia

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Garcia had a phenomenal start to his senior career, as he had quite an impact at the Club World Cup. However, he has not had enough opportunities throughout the 2025/26 season. While the young striker has been involved in 35 matches, he has had fewer than 1,200 minutes.

The Spaniard still has six goals and two assists, which suggests he does have an eye for goal. With Kylian Mbappe sidelined, this is Garcia’s moment to seize the spotlight. The homegrown attacker has all the tools to thrive, and these coming games could let him make a real statement.

Prediction

Espanyol 1-3 Real Madrid

Winless-in-2026 Espanyol will be desperate to snap a 16-game league skid that is dropped them to 13th. The hosts are five points clear of the drop but staring down a relegation scrap if they do not wake up. They will be aiming to frustrate Arbeloa’s depleted Madrid, who’ve won just two of five league games.

Despite the absence of key players like Thibaut Courtois, Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo, and more, Real Madrid stick a punch. They have enough quality to dominate the proceedings. Espanyol have bagged just two goals in five, while Madrid own the quality edge despite their own 2026 wobbles. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the away team.